Tuesday 4 June 2013 19.37 EDT
First published on Tuesday 4 June 2013 19.34 EDT

Holger Osieck has saved his job – for another two weeks at least

There were well-sourced whispers before the game that the German would be on his way this week if Australia lost convincingly. They didn’t and so he won’t. Australia may have been massive underdogs, may have been on the ropes for most of the second half but this was a resilient, determined and energetic performance at the home of the best team in Asia. It is stating the obvious to say that Australia would have settled for a point before the game but were devastated to be denied a famous win by a last-minute penalty.

The watchword in training all week had been structure and that was evident from the start. The defence was well-organised, if a little deep, and stood firm against the intricate Japanese patterns and for the most part got plenty of bodies in the way of Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda. For the second half of the first half, the Socceroos had the home team worried with some fast-paced counter-attacking play and though Japan dominated for much of the second, Australia defended from the front and took the punishment.

After the lethargy of the Oman draw in March, Osieck has to ensure that his players can produce the intensity they showed against Japan in their next two World Cup qualifiers against Jordan and Iraq. Six points will be needed.

Open play was the Aussie way

Before the game, the press pack from down under believed that the team’s only chance of a goal would be from a set piece. It was expected to be an aerial assault, a long-ball battering but Australia were at their best on the floor and, indeed, rarely threatened from corners and free-kicks. In the first half especially, there was much to like about how the visitors broke forward at pace whenever the opportunity presented itself. Mark Bresciano, reintroduced to the starting line-up after being benched against Oman, was composed and controlled in possession – though forced deep in the second half, Brett Holman was excellent in both distribution and movement while the pace of Tommy Oar worried the defence if his final product was a little unpredictable – as Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima would testify. Australia were never going to match the Japanese in terms of the quality of football but were better than expected.

The Japanese like to do things early

Hundreds of fans had marked their place in the line outside Saitama Stadium in previous days with tape and plastic bags. On the day itself blue-shirted legions were packing out the trains heading north from Tokyo on the Keihin Tohoku Line four hours before kick-off; three hours before there were lines half a kilometre long outside the turnstiles; and with two hours to go, the arena was almost half-full. Then 90 minutes of constant chanting and support was, in the end, rewarded with a goal and the stadium exploded with noise to make the ears hurt. A minute later and the final whistled sounded to signal Japan becoming the first team to qualify for the 2014 World Cup (after the hosts, Brazil), to make it a hat-trick after doing the same in 2006 and 2010. The players performed a lap of honour with Time To Say Goodbye ringing out into the warm evening air as Honda promised that the Samurai Blue will do their best to win the Confederations Cup later this month.

Keisuke Honda is a showman – and available

He was the last to join up with the squad, arriving from Moscow on Sunday with a baby in tow, announcing as he did so that he was ready to leave Russia for one of the big leagues. He was the last to emerge from the team bus as it arrived at the stadium, his nonchalant exit bringing by far the biggest cheer from the fans watching the scoreboard inside. And he was the best player on the pitch.

Honda in the middle may reduce Jürgen Klopp to tears by forcing the impressive Kagawa to the left but he brings smiles to the faces of the entire nation of Japan every time he gets the ball and against Australia, he got the ball a lot. Playing just behind the striker, he was always available, always moving, always dangerous, just one of those players who demands to be seen in the flesh. It was fitting that he scored the all-important goal.

Old guard repaid Osieck’s faith

Much has been written about the advancing years of some Socceroo members – the average age of the starting 11 was 30.6 – but sometimes, the vets are the best. Mark Schwarzer was almost flawless in goal, showing why he is still a Premier League goalkeeper at the wrong side of 40, in terms of pace, Lucas Neill started his career slowly and has since faded but what the former Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United defender lacks in speed he makes up for in leadership. It was Neill’s best game in the green and gold for years while Sasa Ognenovski was solid in the tackle. Tim Cahill worked hard as the main man in attack, dragging Moya Yoshida around the backline with the aforementioned Bresciano showing his class, especially in the first half. For months, years, Aussie fans have been calling for young blood on the pitch and while they got some in the shape of Oar, they also got plenty of sweat and inspiration from the oldies. They need to get some rest.